Winchester High grad, West Point soph. Luca LoConte Botis takes part in Collegiate Fight Night at the Town Hall

Stephen Tobey stobey@wickedlocal.com @stobeywlsports

Tuesday

Nov 7, 2017 at 12:46 AMNov 7, 2017 at 12:46 AM

Like most people who start boxing, Luca LoConte Botis had some rather lofty ambitions when he first laced on a pair of gloves.

Dreams of an Olympic Gold medal or a world title as a professional may have crossed his mind, but LoConte Botis had some other ideas about what he wanted to do with his life.

Now he’s doing it.

The 2015 graduate of Winchester High School is now a sophomore at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. He majors in Spanish and Portuguese. He’s also a part of one of the premier collegiate boxing teams in the country, winner of eight of the last 10 National Collegiate Boxing Association national championships.

On Saturday, Nov. 11. LoConte Botis and his teammates will be fighting in the Maurer Auditorium at Winchester Town Hall (7 p.m.) as part of Collegiate Fight Night, West Point vs. New England. The Cadets will take on a team of all-star caliber boxers from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, the University of Connecticut, the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and Trinity College.

LoConte-Botis, who has an 18-7 amateur record, is scheduled to face Joseph Orosco of Trinity College in a 160-pound Open Class bout, scheduled for three two-minute rounds.

“I’m very excited and honored,” LoConte Botis said. “I fought there when I was a freshman in high school [in a Junior Olympic bout]. Now I’m a grown man in terms of boxing. I’ve improved so much. It will be a really good show. It will be challenging and exciting.”

LoConte Botis started boxing when he was 11.

“I grew up in a home where we had a lot of problems,” he said. “My uncle, who became like my father, saw that I had a lot of pent-up anger and aggression and he said I needed to get to a boxing gym.”

LoConte Botis trained at Peter Welch’s Gym in South Boston and at the Somerville Boxing Club. At Winchester High School, he competed on the cross country, swimming and outdoor track teams, becoming captain of all three teams.

As a club sport, Army’s boxing program is not allowed to recruit. LoConte Botis decided he wanted to box at the school and he contacted the coaching staff. After a year at the USMA’s Prep School, he arrived at West Point.

In addition to having an intercollegiate boxing program, the USMA requires all of its Cadets to take a boxing class as part of the physical education requirement.

“I went in saying I knew what I was doing, but it was a lesson in humility,” LoConte Botis said. “It taught me how to show respect and keep my mouth shut. Because you’re limited in how many punches you can throw to the head, I also learned how to go to the body.”

LoConte Botis plans to be an infantry officer after he graduates and he sees boxing as a valuable tool to learn the characteristics he will need in that career.

“I see it 100 percent,” he said. “Boxing requires self control. You get hit and you still have to stay focused on what you need to do. You need to be patient.”

LoConte Botis believes those lessons can carry over to the battlefield but he also thinks what he’s learned will be helpful in the day-to-day duties of an officer.

“A solider could come in and tell me he got a DUI arrest,” LoConte Botis said. “Instead of just blowing up at him, I could just say ‘We need to sit down and talk about this.’”

Boxing at West Point also made him appreciate how there is a team aspect to the sport.

“It’s a brotherhood,” LoConte Botis said. “We do morning conditioning. You don’t want to get up early and be out in the cold, but you’re there for your brothers.

“Recently, we went to the New York Athletic Club and we won two of seven bouts. Even when you won, you feel for your teammates and want to do more to help them get better.”

This winter, LoConte Botis will compete in the Western New England Golden Gloves in Springfield. Though the New York Golden Gloves are closer to West Point, the Western New England tournament takes place on weekends, while the New York event takes place during the week and would conflict with his academic obligations.

In past years, boxers from Upstate New York have competed in the Western New England tournament. Former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson was one such boxer.

If he wins the Western New England title, he could advance to the New England Tournament of Champions in Lowell.

In addition to LoConte Botis, another Army boxer, Jack Ward, has a connection to Winchester. He grew up in Hampton, New Hampshire and attended the Salisbury School in Connecticut but he has several relatives in Winchester.

He is scheduled to face Jesus Fequiere of UConn in a Novice Class heavyweight bout. It will be ward’s boxing debut.

“Because my entire mother’s side is from Winchester, my extended family lives in Winchester, which is like home for me,” Ward said. “I’m very happy to be boxing for the first time there and plan on having a great outing.”

Ward was recruited as a football player, but switched to boxing when he arrived at West Point. Like LoConte Botis, he is a sophomore.

“Luca and Jack work hard in the gym and are leaders amongst their peers,” said USMA coach Ray Barone. “They are top-of-the-line guys and we’re very fortunate to have both on our team.”

Former professional world champions Micky Ward (no relation to Jack) and Jose Antonio Rivera will be guests at Collegiate Fight Night. Tickets can be purchased at Seacoastticket.com or 1-800-382-5242.